Harsh Reality
by Snow-walker
Summary: A one chappie song-fic based on the song: 'My Immortal' by Evanescence. Virginia Weasley dies in an attack. Draco mourns over her death.


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A/N: 'Lo there! This is a small 'lil song fiction that I decided to write. It's my first. Well, this is just to warm up my "writing skills"..lol... It's only a one-chappie song-fic with the song: 'My Immortal' by Evanescence, one of my favorite bands. Kinda sad, but I just decided to give it a shot. Flamers are welcome. So are reviews. (Though I'm not really expecting A LOT of those..: ) Enjoy!

Disclaimers: The characters belong to…ME! *grins sheepishly*..lol..okay, okay..they belong to the one and only all-time favorite author of the..CENTURY! J.K ROWLING…and the song belongs to Evanescence. Period. 

Harsh Reality

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I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone  


The main door of Malfoy Manor clicked shut. Muffled footsteps were heard across the carpeted living room before proceeding upstairs. Draco Malfoy strode across his lavishly furnished bedroom and dumped himself on the king-sized bed with green silk covers. Placing his hands on his head, he recalled the past events that had happened today.

****

~*In the morning*~

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"You will be branded as a Deatheater and married to Miss Parkinson by Christmas", said the cool and crisp voice of Lucius Malfoy. 

Draco froze in his tracks and spun around to face his smug-looking father. "What?!"

"You heard me very well Draco", replied Lucius. "Your mother and I are growing old and so are you. You are no longer the foolish young boy that I have once known," he paused here, his lip curling in distaste, and continued, " but you are a fine, young man now, with all the qualities a Deatheater would wish for. We need you to carry on the Malfoy name and you would be the heir to the Manor once you are a Deatheater and married to a girl descended from the dark side." 

Suppressing his anger, he fought to keep the emotion out of his voice and face, which should once have been an easy thing, but not now. "So this is want your son to turn out to be? A Deatheater? Hasn't being in Azkaban taught you much?"

"That's the Malfoy tradition Draco. Why do you speak of it in a bad way?" Lucius' lip curled up in a taunting manner.

Draco trembled with fury. "You know Virginia's dead. Yet, you torture me like this? Call yourself a father!" he spat viciously.

Lucius smirked. "Why, I believe it's you who should be calling me that."

But Draco wasn't going to stand for it. "I'm not going to tolerate this nonsense anymore. I'm not going marry that pug-face, go Azkaban and become filth like YOU!" he snarled.

Lucius' face turned an ugly shade of maroon. "I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT BOY!" he roared.

"Why not? You're not my father are you?" It was Draco's turn to smirk now.

Lucius swept across the room towards Draco. With a swift, fluid motion, he had Draco's chin in his grasp. Jerking hard on it, he looked straight at Draco's stormy grey eyes which were filled with anger and said in a chilly tone,"I remember, when you were young, you were a vulnerable, boy who let everyone beat you in everything. Like that miserable orphan boy, Potter and that pathetic mudblood. You used to follow me around like a dog, saying 'Father says' this and 'Father says' that. You always listened to me and never dared speak against me for fifteen years. But that Weasley girl changed you within two years. How much did you pay her to get her in bed? They would have to live on that money I suppose. I expected much better from you than to mix around with that muggle-loving, flea-bitten filth. But that WHORE is dead for good, so now you listen to ME." 

That made Draco snap. With a roar of rage, he pulled out his wand, directed the wand-point at the blonde in front of him and yelled the death curse. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Before falling to ground, Lucius' eyes widened in shock and he whispered hoarsely,"My son…". 

Staggering back, Draco stared at his wand in shock. He had killed him. His own father. He had killed him for his own lover…

****

~*Back in reality*~

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These wounds won't seem to heal  
this pain is just too real  
there's just too much that time cannot erase  


Twirling his wand in his long, pale fingers, Draco stared at the carpeted floor. Lillian, his house elf, had helped him dispose of Lucius' body. To be more exact, they had buried it in the courtyard after being transfigured to a bone. There was no gravestone to mark his presence and death-date. His mere memory was enough to haunt anyone. _He deserved it, Draco thought mutinously. Now he'd finally be able to see what it was like to be dead._

He stiffened when he recalled his father's last few words that made him fly into a rage. "_But that WHORE is dead for good"…"dead for good"…"dead"…_the dreaded word rang in his ears continuously like a church bell. Getting up from his bed, Draco went over to his green, oak bedside table and pulled open the bottom drawer. He shoved away pieces of parchment and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. Pulling it out, he set it on the tabletop. It was a velveted scarlet box the size of half his pillow with a tiny key hole. He blew the dust away that was covering it. Reaching inside his black robes, he pulled out a tiny, miniature key. He gently pushed the fragile object into the keyhole and turned it till he heard a soft 'click'. Opening it, he saw the words "Virginia" engraved in gold on the silky inside of the cover. There was a light blue silk cloth that was covering the meagre contents of the box. He pushed it away to reveal a few things that one would find odd. 

There was a silky lock of beautiful, fiery hair that was charmed not to fall apart. Draco fingered it and relished the soft touch of it.

****

~*Flashback*~

It was midnight. Filch was prowling around, catching students out of bed. Draco and Virginia were in the Astronomy tower, hands clasped. Draco's invisibility cloak lay forgotten on the ground. 

"Gin?" Draco murmured."Yes Draco?" 

__

"I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared of my father, scared of being a Deatheater, scared of facing Voldemort. All in all, I'm scared of what to do with my life."

Virginia turned her head to look at him, her chocolate brown eyes filled with warmth, searching his turmoil-filled stormy grey ones. "You shouldn't be. You should be brave, strong and confident. Being scared won't do you good. The Dark side feasts on your fear; they suck out your goodness and leave you with nothing. They are just like Dementors, only worse. They turn you evil. You won't be like that. You have me." Here, she squeezed his hand gently.

A single tear trailed down his cheek. Virginia reached out and wiped it away. Then, she took him in her arms and made soothing motions up and down his back.

"I'm just scared," Draco whispered hoarsely; his voice racked with sobs and his face screwed up by the 

pressure of it all as he howled out his misery and anger on Virginia's shoulder…

****

~*End of flashback*~ 

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me

She had absorbed all of Draco's agony and angst and returned it with warmth and hope of her own. She always held his hand and murmured words of remembered walking comfort to him. That night when he had broken down on Virginia's shoulder had done him good. He with her to his own Head Boy room and letting her soft hands pull his head gently down on her lap with the rest of his body resting on the bed. She kissed away all his tears. Those long, slim fingers had threaded themselves through his soft blonde hair while another pale hand patted him on the back, tapping out a rhythmic music that lullabied him to sleep… 

You used to captivate me

By your resonating mind  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me

In the morning, Draco had looked at Virginia, who was sleeping peacefully in a comfy armchair nearby, in a curled up position. Draco always thought Virginia was as graceful as a cat. Hell, she could dance her way to stardom if she had the opportunity. But she wouldn't allow her talent to be of public entertainment. Draco had to agree on that; she was a simple girl with a simple life. Her fiery passion for dancing suited her breath-taking, fiery red hair. He remembered her nickname: 'Fire Sprite'. Some would say her hair had its own personality. Draco wanted a piece of that too. So when she wasn't looking, he had snipped off a lock to keep in his box. 

These wounds won't seem to heal  
this pain is just too real  
there's just too much that time cannot erase

Draco put away the lock of auburn hair and brought out a preserved rose next that was charmed not to dry up. Virginia always loved roses. She looked like one too, with her hair as red as blood; like the rose, her elegant and graceful body as slim as the stem. She greatly resembled the much-loved flower. So he had sneaked into the garden beside the lake and picked out the most beautiful rose from a rosebush that Virginia had grew on her own with the permission and aid of Dumbledore. 

The next thing he brought out was a necklace of pearls. They looked like droplets of water from far. She was wearing it on their first date to Hogsmeade. The date was a secret between him and Virginia only. They were under the invisibility cloak, well hidden. Before departing to the Gryffindor tower at the end of the date, Virginia had leant in for her first kiss. Draco's too. It was the most wonderful gesture that Draco had ever experienced in his entire life. When she broke the tender kiss, she smiled and waved goodbye. However, her beautiful necklace got caught on the fastenings of his cloak. With a soft snap, the necklace tore open and the pearls fell to the ground with a loud patter. Laughing merrily, Virginia had helped Draco pick up them up. _That laugh, _Draco thought with asmile, _that laugh had always filled him with joy of endless bounds. _Her spirit kept Draco going. She said he could keep the necklace if he wanted to. Draco laced his fingers through the pearls; they felt as cool as water.

__

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me

There were other things in the box; a silk, scarlet hanky _without_ frills, (With disgust, he remembered Pansy's pink, frilly and lacy hankies) a Weasley sweater (she had lent him her warm and woolly sweater that was sewn with warmth and love on a cold night. That love was enough to keep him warm and refreshed. "_Motherly love is the best medicine", _some people would say; Draco had to agree with that) and an exotic eagle quill that Virginia had lost and Draco had found.

The last thing in the box that filled Draco with sorrow instead was a seamless glass slipper. It was the night of the Christmas costume ball, before the deatheater attack. Everyone in Hogwarts was to come dressed as a character from any muggle book much to the delight of the three other houses and dismay and disgust of the Slytherins. Undoubtedly, it was Dumbledore's idea of bringing pure bloods, mixed bloods, and muggles together. Snape's lip was curling in disgust as Dumbledore announced the idea, greeted with cheers and groans. That meant researching and reading muggle books. After many days, the day of the ball finally came. 

****

~*Flashback*~

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Draco paced the Slytherin common room nervously. He was dressed in black trousers, a crisp white shirt, a green velvet vest with golden buttons and embroidery. A gleaming sword with green emeralds set in its hilt in a patterned sheath, and a green cloak of a rich fabric with silver embroidery lay nearby. Draco pulled on a pair of white gloves and fixed on the sword with the sheath on his belt. Then, he pulled on the cloak; fumbling with the silver fastenings. He was dressed as Romeo in the story 'Romeo and Juliet'. The costume was the closest to Romeo as he could get. He had to add in some richness and Slytherin colors; it was the typical action of him. He had warned Virginia not to come as Juliet to prevent any suspicions. She had agreed readily as she had another character in mind to dress up as. She was his dance partner. But they had to conceal themselves while dancing. Draco, the one and only, was nervous. 

__

Going to the Great Hall, he looked over at the Gryffindor table in high hopes of catching a glimpse of Virginia…but she wasn't there. A bit disappointed, he scanned some of the other occupants of the table. Potter was dressed as Robin Hood. How typical_, Draco thought, his lip twitching. He had read the story once. It was sort of nice. Beside him, or more like on either side of him, were his two faithful sidekicks - Weasley and Granger. Draco has stopped picking fights with them, much to their surprise and suspicions. Now, they seemed to have been in a fight. _Not AGAIN_, thought Draco, rolling his eyes, _when will those two EVER stop? _They both dressed as a medieval knight and princess respectively. Draco looked over to the Slytherin table. The Slytherins were all dressed up as villains undoubtedly. Pansy was dressed up as the wicked witch in Snow White. In her hand was a basket of apples with a poisonous-looking one at the top of them all. Draco took a seat in the corner of the table. Apparently, they had not noticed him yet, much to his relief as he noticed his grand costume was attracting many attentions._

Finally, Dumbledore dressed as king from some book, announced his pleasure of the Hogwarts students following his instructions so closely. After a grand sweep of his hand, the tables filled with platters of tantalizing dishes. However, Virginia was still out of sight. Draco looked down at his empty plate and decided he wasn't hungry. Just then, the big doors of the Great Hall opened, turning all heads. 

There, stood Virginia, swathed in an elegant and priceless spaghetti-strap gown of purest white that glittered and twinkled from the candlelight. She wore elegant pearly white gloves that reached up to her elbows. Her feet were in a pair of gleaming glass slippers. The top part of her hair was elegantly pulled back with a silver bow, leaving only a few auburn ringlets to frame her sweet face. The rest of her red hair was in a tumbling mass of spiraling curls that cascaded down her back. Her soft, pink lips glistened with lip-gloss. A faint shade of blusher lay on her cheeks. Though it fortunately did nothing to hide the faint freckles that dusted her sweet nose, it aided in giving her a radiant, healthy glow. Everything about her was so pure and elegant. She was simply breath taking. 

Everyone seemed to think the same too. There was an occasional sound of a goblet of pumpkin or orange juice toppling down. Virginia seemed to be utterly mortified at the fact that everyone was gazing at her. 

"Ah, glad you could join us tonight Ginny Weasley," exclaimed Dumbledore cheerfully,"you look absolutely stunning." 

"Th-thank you," said Virginia, smiling graciously, stammering a bit from the shock treatment. "I didn't realize I was late."

"I'm sure you didn't my dear,"said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling merrily,"I assume you are Cinderella?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, you certainly fit wonderfully in character. Come and join in the feast dear. The lemon tart is simply delicious."

"I'll be glad to, Headmaster."

With that, she swept gracefully towards the Gryffindor where Ron was staring dumbstruck with his mouth hanging slightly open. She was getting the same response from three-quarters of the boy population. Hermione, beaming widely, shifted over to let Virginia squeeze in.

"Continue with the feast," said Dumbledore in a bright, booming voice.

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That was when the rest of the Slytherin table noticed Draco. Their typical reaction was to swarm over him. In midst of their chattering, Draco caught Virginia's face and saw her give him a wink. He smirked back. Cinderella certainly suited her all right…

****

~*11p.m at night*~

Virginia had agreed to meet Draco in the Astronomy Tower at 11 to dance as they obviously couldn't dance in front of everybody else. 

Draco was early, he couldn't stand Pansy clinging on to his arm and whining about how Virginia's costume was better than her's. The fact that Pansy was dressed in a ratty cloak didn't help much either. Cinderella was looking a gazillion times better than everybody else.

Then, he was too lost in his musings to notice a presence behind him. He felt cool fingers slip around his eyes, covering his surroundings. "Guess who?" whispered a sweet, unfathomable voice in his ear. The person's ticklish warm breath smelt of warm chocolate, crushed pecans and whipped vanilla cream. There was a smell of crushed rose petals lingering around her. It was obviously a she. Draco reached up and felt the suspect's fingers. They were cool, soft, and sweet to touch that shivered at his touch. There was only one person in the whole school who had a touch and smell like that. Virginia Weasley. The answer was obvious, as she was the only one who'd come to the Astronomy Tower. 

"Virginia, you know better than to play this game at this kind of time," Draco murmured softly. He was itching to look at her. Laughing softly, she removed her fingers. "If the whole school was crammed in this tower, I bet you wouldn't identify me. 

"Nope, you're wrong. I identified you by your smell."

"Really? Wow."

Draco turned around to look at her. She looked even more breath taking close up. She wasn't wearing her gloves. Her doe-like eyes sparkled under the moonlight. Her lips glistened as they curled up to form a smile. 

"Care for a dance?"

"Sure."

__

Draco slipped an arm around Virginia's waist and brought her closer. He laced his fingers of his other through her's. One small arm placed itself on his shoulder. They danced close together, under the moonlight. Virginia's temple resting against Draco's jaw.

"Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I..I love you."

Whatever Virginia was expecting was certainly not this. She brought her head up to look at him through those eyes that one could drown in. "What?"

"You heard me Gin," replied Draco uneasily. Was this the right thing he was doing? What if she said she doesn't? "I love you…with all my heart." Draco had NEVER in his LIFE professed his love to anyone, even his own mother. Though it wasn't as if anybody loved him including his very own parents who thought he was useless. Yet, here he was, confessing his undying love to someone who was so wonderful that he didn't think that even he didn't deserve her. She was a miracle. And he was waiting for her reply.

Virginia was really taken aback as he could see. "Wow..D-Draco..I never thought I would hear you say that.." She was fumbling with her words. She looked so cute and adorable. She opened her mouth to say something but before the words came out, there was a huge bang and several shrill shrieks and screams filled the air. Startled, Virginia and Draco looked down. The sight that met them was so shocking that it made Virginia gasp. 

A huge troop of Deatheaters were emerging from the Forbidden Forest and were marching towards Hogwarts, blasting spells everywhere. Some of the teachers who had come out to investigate the source of noise had been hit with the beams of light.

"Oh my god, I've got to go and help them." Virginia was now running towards the tower's stairs.

"Virginia, I'll come too," Draco called after her.

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"You're a Malfoy's son. If they see you going against them, they'll kill you!" 

"And let you get hurt?"

"It doesn't matter! I need to go now." Seeing Draco's face, she raced back to him and held his face tenderly. "I love you. Always have." With that, she kissed him deeply. Another loud scream broke them apart. Nervously, Draco pulled out his wand from his belt and shoved it intoVirginia's hand. "Here, take this." A tear was trickling down her face now. Draco pulled her face towards his and kissed it away. "Take care Gin." 

"I will."

With a last look at him, she pulled away and bolted down the stairs. Looking down from the Tower, Draco saw her running towards the scene where Dumbledore and Harry were standing in the front, petrifying and preventing Deatheaters from entering…

****

~*End of flashback*~

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I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along  


She went to fight while he hid like a coward. However, he was forced to hide. There were many casualties of the attack. Many were injured seriously. Some were dead. One of them was Virginia. The Deatheaters had killed her mercilessly when she had taken in the death curse that was directed at Harry. . The only memory he had of that night was the glass slipper that had slipped off when she ran down the stairs. A tear dropped on it as Draco stared at the slipper. He remembered the day when he had gone to her funeral, unknown to his father and other Deatheaters. 

****

~*Flashback*~

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Everyone was wearing black. Most were crying, some were staring at the glass coffin with sad faces, holding priceless bouquets. Rose bushes grew around the coffin; in request of Draco. Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley family had accepted the fact that he had once loved her. He walked unsteadily towards the coffin, holding a whole bouquet of roses. Once near the glass coffin, Draco placed the bouquet on it and stared at the dead person found within. Virginia was lying there, her pale slender hands folded upon her midriff. She was wearing the same gown that she wore on the Ball. And a diamond tiara lay on her head. She was still stunning. And there was a peaceful look on her face. Probably because she had died knowing the fact that she had protected someone she loved.

****

~* At night*~

Draco was still standing there. Everyone had left. He knelt by her side, she looked so…pure…and so pristine…Like an angel…Shoulders heaving, Draco howled into the night, tears streaming down his face. His Fire Sprite…his beautiful angel had died…She was gone…forever…

****

~*End of Flashback*~ 

__

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me  


He would avenge her death. Draco clenched the glass slipper tightly. She was gone…He was nothing without her. There was no one to whisper words of comfort to him, no one to hug him and say everything will be alright, no one to squeeze his hand gently, no one to give him hope when he troubled, no one to kiss away his tears… This, was Harsh Reality…

****

~*~*~*_The End_*~*~*~

A/N: So! How was it? My first fiction and song-fic. I know…it's kinda sad…really sad actually…But if it's nice, then what are you waiting for? Review!!! :)


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